Permanent Residence Application
Apply to become a permanent resident, which removes the need to renew your period of stay and lifts most activity restrictions.
1 min readChecked against official sources 2026-06-14
Apply to become a permanent resident, which removes the need to renew your period of stay and lifts most activity restrictions.
Where: Immigration Services Agency (Regional Immigration Bureau) · When: Any time once you meet the residence-length and other requirements (often 10 or more years in Japan).
Steps
- 1Check the latest permanent-residence guidelines and confirm you meet them.
- 2Prepare extensive documents on your income, tax, and pension / insurance payment history.
- 3Submit to your regional immigration bureau; screening is thorough and can take 6 months or more.
What to bring
- Passport and residence card
- Application for permanent residence
- Proof of income and tax payment (tax certificates, etc.)
- Pension and social-insurance payment records
- Documents about your guarantor
Official sources
Requirements (including required years and payment history) are strict and were tightened recently. Always confirm the current guidelines.